Goldenclaw's Battle
by Melissa daughter of Hecate
Summary: The beautiful she-cat is the best warrior in HillClan, and her prowess in battle is undefeatable. But old secrets come back to haunt her, and at least one cat will die this morning. OneShot


**Hey!**

**Just a little drabble I wrote. R&R! **_Italics _**= memory/flashback and **Normal Font = **present.**

**-Melissa**

**Disclaimer: All I own are my ideas, nothing else.**

Goldenclaw leapt back into the battle.

Her sleek gold fur was covered with dust; her sharp claws stained with the blood of her enemies. Her white paws flew in her vision as she ripped into the shoulder of an enemy tom. Her slanted yellow eyes narrowed in concentration as she fought.

Blood splashed against her pelt as she tore out a she-cat's throat, then jumped at a grey tabby.

She could taste the blood, dripping off her fangs, falling in her mouth. And in the air, so much in the air. All she could smell was blood and fear-scent.

Memories flashed through her head, her gaze unfocused as her claws killed.

* * *

_"I do." Goldenpaw meowed proudly._

_"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name: Goldenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Goldenclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of HillClan." Their leader, Darkstar, mewed. But Goldenclaw could see the worry in her eyes, and knew that the Clan leader didn't trust her._

* * *

Goldenclaw snapped back to the present, her hind legs tearing into the belly of a snowy she-cat, her once white fur stained with yet more blood. The memory of her warrior ceremony, not a moon before, remained fresh in her mind.

The deputy of ForestClan, Thornfur, was foolish enough to challenge her.

Needless to say, he paid dearly for his mistake.

She could see the leader of ForestClan.

Branchstar.

The pale tabby she-cat was speaking with Darkstar, as the battle swirled around them.

Heap of foxdung.

At least Darkstar obeyed the most basic laws of the warrior code, she thought grimly.

* * *

_The moon rose high in the sky above the clearing where the two Clans gathered._

_"HillClan has two new apprentices, Goldenpaw and Lightpaw." Darkstar mewed._

_But then Branchstar stepped up. _

_The moonlight reflected off her sandy fur._

_"Goldenpaw and Lightpaw...my kits...Blackstorm...HillClan...ForestClan...**HalfClan**." _

_The words flew by in a daze._

_Their father, Blackstorm: the fierce warrior of HillClan._

_Their mother, Branchstar: the 'noble' leader of ForestClan._

_**HalfClan.** _

_That's what they were._

**_HalfClan._**

_The words drummed themselves into Goldenpaw's mind. _

_She could feel her sister press against her, her light fur so much like Branchstar's._

_At least Goldenpaw's fur was darker. Real gold, not just the color of sand._

**_HalfClan._**

_Darkstar refused to return the apprentices to Branchstar._

_The gathering ended._

_And the whispers started._

* * *

The golden she-cat dug her claws into the grass as she stared at her 'mother'. Cats still yowled and screeched around her, but she knew no cat would dare to attack her. And even if they did, well, that'd just be another cat dead for ForestClan.

She pictured her gaze burning a hole in Branchstar's pelt.

Her fur igniting in flames.

Her paws burning on the ground.

She deserved it.

Goldenclaw wished she could do it.

If not for her,

For Lightpaw.

* * *

_Lightpaw ran through the fields, her paws pounding across the dirt. _

_"Sister, wait!" Goldenpaw yowled, desperately trying to catch up._

_The tabby turned on her littermate, claws out._

_"Wait?!" She spat. "Didn't you HEAR what they said? About US?"_

_"Yes," The she-cat mewed. "But they don't know ANYTHING. As far as I'm concerned, we have no father or mother. You're MY only family."_

_Lightpaw scraped at the ground in frustration. "That's not the POINT! I'm leaving. I'm not going to stay in that- that- that PLACE anymore."_

_She turned and ran._

_Towards the mountains._

_Towards the Thunderpath._

_Goldenpaw followed her._

_Too slow._

_Too late._

_The monster glinted in the sunlight._

_And Goldenpaw watched Lightpaw's blood spill across the Thunderpath._

**_Dead_**_._

_She was alone._

**_Dead._**

_The only cat worth caring about, dead before her eyes._

**_Dead._**

**_HalfClan. Dead._**

_The words pounded in her ears, as she turned around and fled to nowhere._

* * *

Goldenclaw tensed her muscles as she sprang.

Knowing that Branchstar was on her last life.

Her claws extended.

She bared her teeth.

Branchstar turned and saw her daughter soaring through the air.

Her golden eyes, identical to the younger she-cat's, widened.

She tried to leap away.

But Goldenclaw is fueled by revenge in her every action.

And she never misses.

Thornfur became Thornstar that night.


End file.
